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Hurricane Karl (2016- Brickcraft1)
''Hurricane Karl '' was the first major hurricane to strike the state of Louisiana since Hurricane Rita of 2005. The eleventh named storm, sixth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the active 2016 season, Karl began as weak tropical wave that came off the west coast of Africa on August 22, and it passed through the Cape Verde islands, causing an unusual tornado outbreak. The wave eventually drifted into the Caribbean Sea, while still being disorganized. The wave was drifting unusually fast across the Caribbean, and recon was sent to investigate the new system, while it had a major convective burst south of Haiti on August 26. They found the system was a powerful open wave. As this pattern continued for three more days, it became more organized, and on August 29, it crossed the Yucatan peninsula, battering the region with flooding rains. On August 30, while the wave was located in the Bay of Campeche, recon flew into the system, and found a closed circulation, and winds of 50 mph. Apon this, the storm was upgraded to Tropical Storm Karl. Karl's expansive rain bands were pounding the Yucatan Peninsula, as Karl was drifting NNW. As the storm lifted away, it turned Northeast, towards the Gulf Coast of the United States. As warnings were issued, Karl strengthened into a Category 1 Hurricane on August 30. Preparations were being made in Louisiana, as Karl was forecast to land there. Karl was intensifying at quite a rate, which meant preparations were being rushed, and beaches were closed. The next day, on September 1, Karl became a Category 2 Hurricane, and Governor John Bel Edwards issued a state of emergency for the state of Louisiana. Outer bands began pounding Louisiana as Karl moved in, already causing significant damage. Late on September 2, Karl became a Category 3 Hurricane, before making landfall early the next day. Karl caused widespread devastation throughout Louisiana. It moved into Mississippi, causing some damage, before moving into northwest Alabama, and then Tennessee shortly there after, and Karl dissipated. Throughout south Louisiana, the destruction was severe, with several houses destroyed, and towns flooded. Karl was a very deadly storm, killing 71. Karl's destruction cost $8.0 Billion to repair, making it third costliest that season; it was second at the time, before hurricane Matthew slammed Louisiana that same month, becoming the costliest hurricane in history. Karl became the second major Hurricane to hit the U.S. that year, and the first to hit Louisiana. Due to the devastation, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Karl, and replaced it with Kaden for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Meteorological History In mid August, models were hinting at the development of a tropical wave that would emerge off of Africa. On August 22, the wave emerged off of Africa, and moved through the Cape Verde islands, causing a short lived tornado outbreak. The wave moved into the open Atlantic ocean, and on August 24, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the wave for a "slight" chance of development over the next two days, as it approached the northern Lesser Antilles (Leeward Islands). The wave moved just north of Dominica, and into the Caribbean Sea. The wave moved into favorable conditions in the Caribbean, and began to become very well organized. The first reconnaissance aircraft were flown to see if the wave had a closed circulation, while it was south of Haiti, however they found no circulation, and the wave had no tropical storm force winds as well. The next flight went out the next day, while the wave was south of Cuba and Jamaica, and they reported tropical storm force winds for the first time, but found no circulation. The outer rain showers of the wave expanded across Jamaica as the storm drifted to the west. The wave became more organized as it sped toward the Yucatan Peninsula, and on August 28, when they flew out again, they still found nothing, except the storm was getting stronger. Preparations Impact Cape Verde Lesser Antilles Hispaniola Jamaica Cuba Mexico United States Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Tennessee Aftermath Retirement Category:Atlantic hurricanes